In 2014, VentureBeatnamed Hubspot the #1 company in the rapidly growing marketing automation technology sector. This was an impressive accomplishment for a firm that had been founded less than a decade earlier, and whose competitors include many vendors who are both older and larger. How does a growth-driven company achieve a market-leading position so rapidly? What makes it possible to establish and maintain a dominant role as a recognized leader in your industry?

The field of commercial real estate (CRE) is in the midst of considerable change due to a combination of factors. User behavior is changing – for example, companies are moving from closed workspaces to open offices. The financial environment is shifting – project packaging is challenging, yet opportunities are strong. And market fundamentals are evolving – mixed-use is in, single-use is out, and yet zoning laws and planning goals are not keeping up. In the midst of this, CRE firms who work with a B2B business consultant can achieve significant growth by focusing on these priorities:

You're the CEO or a senior executive with a growth-driven business-to-business company, and you are committed to achieving new revenue and market targets for your firm. You've decided to retain an outside consultant to help you develop the strategy and pursue change. Now, you just need to determine how to select the right firm to partner with. This article, the second in a two-part series, gives you four key factors to consider in selecting the right B2B business consultant for your company.

Companies looking to achieve significant change or growth goals recognize that outside consulting counsel is essential to their success. Enterprises whose CEOs elect to retain consulting counsel achieve more lasting results over a shorter timeframe, on average, than companies who attempt to drive change purely in-house. However, it is essential that you select the right B2B businss consultant for your company. Here's how:

One of the most important factors essential to an effective business strategy is understanding and planning around the owner's personal objectives. Sometimes, the owner is motivated by a desire to create new products or innovations. Other times, it's about creating a legacy that can be left to future generations, or building the business into an asset that can command a high valuation at exit. Sometimes the owner has no clear idea of what their personal objectives are. And sometimes, the owner expresses the desire to position the company as a lifestyle business.